Jeff Berkowitz: ...Hypothetically, if you were there...the legislation as it came before you, if you were the …congresswoman...would you have supported No Child Left Behind, at that time?

Christine Cegelis: I’d say I would not have because even at the time [the legislation passed] as I was reading about the legislation, I understood how the use of standardized testing could cause schools to be marked as failing-- especially the 95% rule where they have to be, 95 % of the students have to be there the day of standardized testing, that is and of itself causes a problem—

Berkowitz: So, you are not a fan of No Child Left Behind?

Cegelis: I am not a fan, no.

Berkowitz: Not just the implementation, but actually the theoretical construct?

Cegelis: Right.

Berkowitz: You know, it does bring an annual testing that is required by the federal government. Are you opposed to that concept?

Cegelis: I am not opposed to annual testing. It is just that it has to be specific testing and there has to be some guidance on it because standardized tests don’t necessarily give us a true picture so there has to be other types of testing as well.
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The above is a portion of a partial transcript of this week’s show, and more of that transcript is included, below, in this blog entry.
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This week’s [week of Sep. 13] suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” features Christine Cegelis, 6th Cong. District Democratic Candidate, debating and discussing with show host Jeff Berkowitz various domestic and foreign policy issues, including visas and jobs, education, abortion, same sex marriage, prescription drug benefits, health care, gun control, tax cuts, the Economy, “off shore sourcing,” trade and the War in Iraq.

The City edition of Public Affairs airs throughout the City of Chicago every Monday night at 8:30 on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV].

The show with Christine Cegelis will also air throughout the City of Chicago on Monday, Sep. 20, 2004 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21.
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Berkowitz: If you had been in Congress in the fall of 2002, if you had been a congresswoman, would you have voted against the authorization of the President to take military action in Iraq?

Cegelis: I absolutely would have.

Berkowitz: And so you differ with Cong. Henry Hyde on that?

Cegelis: Absolutely.
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Berkowitz: Is Iraq a better country now without Saddam Hussein?

Cegelis: I don’t think it is a safer country now.

Berkowitz: You don’t? So, you think—If you had to choose, let me give you a stark choice: If you could have Iraq as it was before a few years ago, with Saddam Hussein or the Iraq that exists now, without Saddam Hussein, on its way perhaps to a democratic government, which would you choose?

Cegelis: That’s where I don’t agree. I don’t think they are on their way to a democratic government.

Berkowitz: Okay, strike that clause. You have to choose between having two years ago Saddam Hussein there or whatever we have in Iraq [now] however you want to describe it, whatever we have. Which would you choose, the current situation or back two years ago with Saddam Hussein?

Cegelis: I will tell you for the safety of the United States, I would pick the two years back. Now what for the people of the Iraq, I don’t know.

Berkowitz: Do you think the people of the 6th Cong. Dist. agree with you on that?

Cegelis: I think they do.

Berkowitz: You are hearing from them.

Cegelis: Oh, definitely.

Berkowitz: They want to go back to Saddam Hussein of two years ago?

Cegelis: Nobody wants Saddam Hussein back. That’s a very bad way to put it. What we want is a more stable government where there are not threats of terrorist growth-- that is happening in Iraq now, that were not happening two years ago.

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Christine Cegelis, 6th Cong. Dist. Democratic Candidate, recorded on September 4, 2004, and as is being cablecast on “Public Affairs,” in the suburbs tonight and this week, and as will be cablecast throughout the City of Chicago on “Public Affairs,” this coming Monday night, September 20, at 8:30 pm on Ch. 21
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